Magical Young Adult Books and Where to Find Them

With December here, some people already feel like there’s magic in the air, but if you’re looking for a little magic in your life (and you’ve already seen Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald and binged The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) these books have the magic you need. It would be a crime to miss them!

Murder, Magic, and What We Wore – Annis is convinced her father is a spy, and now that he’s died under suspicious circumstances and his money is missing, she’s more convinced than ever. Despite her ability to craft alternate identities out of fabric and magic, 19th-century London doesn’t place much faith in the abilities of a young, single woman. However, the discouragement of the War Office won’t deter Annis from following the clues. Now, with her brave maid Millie, Annis will set out to solve the puzzle of her father’s life and death, but the puzzle may be a web meant to trap her and she’ll have to outsmart the spymasters.

Carry On – Simon and Baz have a complicated relationship. They’re roommates at Watford, a magical boarding school, but they’re also worst enemies. At least that’s what Simon believes. Regardless, they’re both sure that they’ll be the end of each other, until a truce and a kiss change everything.

Labyrinth Lost – Alex’s family assures her that her magic will manifest soon. They don’t know she already has her magic, and not only does it terrify her, but she also wants to get rid of it completely. Unfortunately, the spell that rids her of her magic has unintended consequences, leading Alex to follow a boy she can’t trust into a dangerous underworld of dark magic and monsters. She’ll have to save her family without her magic.

A Blade So Black – On the same night that Alice learns of her father’s death, she also learns Nightmares are making their way into the world from Wonderland. Hatter is well trained in the art of battling monsters, and when he realizes Alice can not only see the Nightmares but also has the ability to kill them, he knows he needs her in the fight against the Nightmares. With sarcasm and wit, Alice battles to keep her mother happy, the Nightmares at bay, her GPA from falling to low and her head literally on her shoulders.

Tempests and Slaughter – Arram Draper is the youngest mage at Imperial University of Carthak, but he’s also one of the most powerful. His raw gift is incredible but also difficult for him to control. He’s made friends despite the age difference, but the difficulties he has controlling his powers has led to more than a little trouble, and it’s about to lead him and his friends into a great deal more.

Ready to meet up with other magicians and magic-lovers? Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has a few things up its sleeve. Roleplay in a whole new world of magic on Dec. 12, 2018 as Beatties Ford Regional Library hosts Dewey and Dragons. Or geek out with other teens at Scaleybark Library’s Teen Geek Club on Dec. 15, 2018 to dive into Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.